It’s a question that's tickled the minds of theologians and storytellers for centuries. We often picture the Divine as serious, judging, maybe even a little stern. But laughter? That throws a whole new light on things.
Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, dares to explore just that. It opens with the verse, "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh" (Psalm 2:4). And it immediately begs the question: What exactly is so amusing?
Rabbi Yitzhak offers one perspective: everything about God is infused with holiness. Absolutely everything. "All of God's dealings are holy," he says. It's a pervasive, all-encompassing holiness. His speech? In holiness, as it says, "God has spoken in His holiness" (Psalm 60:8). His very measurements? "Holy, holy, holy" (Isaiah 6:3). Even His movements are holy, as we see in the verse, "In holiness, the steps of the king approach me" (Psalm 68:25). And of course, His vows are holy, too. "Who is like You among the mighty, O Lord, who is like You, majestic in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11).
But is that laughter born of joy, or something else?
Another interpretation suggests a different reason for the Divine laughter. The Midrash proposes that God laughs because "these [people] mock one another." It's a laughter born of observing the follies and absurdities of human behavior. We, in our earthly struggles and petty squabbles, provide a cosmic comedy show.
Rabbi Aha, quoting Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani, takes this idea a step further, identifying four specific verses that capture this Divine laughter. These are the four "verses of laughter":
(a) "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh" (Psalm 2:4), the verse that started our journey. (b) "But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them" (Psalm 59:9). A more pointed, perhaps even sardonic, laughter. (c) "The Lord shall laugh at him" (Psalm 37:13). Here, laughter seems directed at the wicked, at those who believe they can escape justice. (d) "I, too, will laugh at your calamity" (Proverbs 1:26). This one is the most unsettling. It suggests a potential consequence for those who disregard wisdom and choose a destructive path.
These verses paint a complex picture of Divine laughter. It's not simply mirth; it's layered with judgment, observation, and even a hint of warning.
So, what does it all mean? Is God laughing with us, or at us? Perhaps the answer is both. Maybe the Divine perspective allows for both empathy and a clear-eyed view of our human foibles. Maybe God’s laughter is a reminder that even in the midst of our struggles, there’s a cosmic perspective, a bigger picture that can bring a sense of perspective, and yes, even a little bit of humor, to our lives. It is a profoundly human thing to laugh, after all. And, as this Midrash suggests, it may be a profoundly Divine one, too.